Something Below The surface
by Psycho-Sprout
Summary: Squall and Rinoa, Revised/Updated Again so theres more than when u last read it!!!! READ IT AGAIN!!!! I'm not done yet tho so stay tuned xxx
1. Default Chapter

Something Below The surface

Ok, the italic bits are Squalls thoughts not what he says ok?

The early morning sun shone into the eyes of Squall Leonhart as he stood outside the imposing building that is Balamb Garden. He gazed up at the picturesque scene. The Garden was incredible, more so than most gave it credit for. Squall held a hand up to his chin as he wondered

_how the hell anybody could have built it? _

His mundane thoughts were interrupted by a shrill voice from behind him.

"Heeello Squall!"

He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"Hey Selphie" He wryly replied.

The breeze blew Selphie's hair away from her face, and for the first time Squall realised that she had beautiful eyes_._

Perhaps there was a truly a beautiful person under that annoying facade. 

" Watcha doooin tooday, Squalie?"

__

But then again, perhaps not. 

"I'm waiting for Headmaster Cid, who told me there was a mission lined up for me."

"Am I coming???"

"No"

"Why not?"

Squall refrained from saying 

__

because I find you so incredibly annoying sometimes,

and chose more tactful, if less true words.

"This is only 2 person mission. I'm meeting Rinoa for this one."

"Oh, all right then"

Her face didn't disguise her disappointment, and she hastily dithered away.

It wasn't long before Cid arrived.

"Ah Squall, how are you?" Cid queried.

Not exactly being a wizard with words, Squall found it better at times to just not respond at all.

"………………………….."

"That great eh?" Cid laughed to himself and led Squall to his office. 

__

As if I don't already know the way by now.

Cid briefed Squall on the pending mission and handed a parcel wrapped in brown paper. Didn't sound like a tricky one: _Travel to Deling City, rendezvous with General Caraway and deliver the parcel to him. Got it._

Both Squall and Rinoa were bundled into a SeeD van headed for Balamb, then escorted onto a boat destined for Deling City.

The atmosphere in the boat could have been sliced with a knife. The longest and most awkward silence filled the cabin where Squall and Rinoa sat, just the lashing of the waves to break the silence.

"Why are we going to visit my Father?" Rinoa eventually asked Squall.

__

I don't know. How should I know? I'm just following orders like I'm supposed to……… like YOU are supposed to.

"Dunno yet." He replied frostily.

Though he loved her, he would never say so. Even after all they had experienced together he could not bring himself to say the words.

Rinoa got up and set herself down next to him. She put an arm around him, which forced a slight smile out of him

"What's in the package?" she asked quizzically.

"No idea" Squall replied, loosening up a little.

Rinoa clambered over Squall and reached for the parcel. Squall tried to guard it but was not fast enough. She grasped it loosely and waves it about 

"It's pretty small" she said "Can't be that important"

With that she gave a poke and tried to guess what was inside, the same way a young child probes his or her Christmas present on Christmas Eve, intent on knowing what is inside. She rapidly grew frustrated with not being able to guess, so she dropped it into Squalls lap.

"Watch it" Squall said, "It could be valuable." He didn't sound very convincing.

The boat reached Dollet harbour, and moored swiftly. The pair stepped out into the sunshine and trooped down the wooden boards. Rinoa suddenly grabbed at Squalls hand and grasped it tightly, and Squall didn't object. They walked hand-in-hand through Dollet City Centre. While admiring the pretty town, Squall fekt his arm get jerked backwards. Rinoa had pulled him to a standstill.

"What?" Asked a puzzled Squall

"Show me that you love me" Rinoa asked excitedly

__

What? What does she want from me?

"What?"

"You never express your feelings in public, like some nun or somethin" she exclaimed "Show me, and everyone else that you LOVE me!!"

Squalls mind was blank. 

__

What does she want me to do? Shout it from the hilltops? This aint The Sound Of Music….. hmmm….

An idea leaped into Squalls head 

"All right, u want public affection? You got it." And with that he took her hand and rapidly led her up to the beautiful fountain in Dollet Square. He lifted her up and stepped, without hesitation, into the cool water. He carried her up the steps, the water skirting round his ankles, and looked into her eyes. Her face was awash with surprise; Squall had never done anything so bold in the way of drawing public attention, at least purposefully. There was quite a crowd gathering, and excited chatter that seemed far away to Squall and Rinoa.

" I love you Rinoa" was all he said, and all he needed to say, and with that he kissed her passionately. Wild cheers and applause erupted from their audience, but neither of them noticed it at all. They were caught in the moment, a moment that would stay with them forever.

The trek from Dollet to Deling City was lengthy, but not so bad as they hired a car to drive there. It was just the two of them now, the rest of the SeeD personnel had returned to Balamb Garden in the boat.

Again with the lengthy silences.

Squall drove, Rinoa sat and attacked the armrest with her nails. Rinoa gazed out of the window, thinking of what she could, or should, say to Squall. Conversely, Squall was thinking about the mission. He took his eyes off the road for a second and glanced down at the package nestled on his lap.

__

What could it be? Nothing important, I was told But is it? 

Why send a high ranked guy like me on a mission a monkey could do? This isn't right. There's something below the surface.

Eventually, the car pulled up at Deling City Car Depot. They clambered out of the car, relieved to be out after their long, uncomfortable trip. They saw a bus arrive just in time to take them to the Galbadia Hotel, but decided to walk instead. Hand-in-hand they strolled through the pretty town. It was dark, and the moonlight shimmered in the water. The hotel had already received a SeeD booking in advance, so the pair sauntered in, exhausted, and went to their room.

__

Room? We're sharing a room? 

Not a big deal is it? We are a couple after all………………… Why does this bother me?

Forget it. You're tired. Sleep it off.

They had traveled light, so when they got to their room they had no stuff to unpack. The first thing that struck them simultaneously was the bed. One bed.

"Er……………………." Rinoa could not contain her inadequate gasp

"Wh……………..what should we do, um, about this?"

"I'll sleep on the floor" Squall bluntly replied, as he grabbed some sheets and bundled them onto the floor. He was too tired to discuss it, he just wanted some sleep. They both went silently to bed (or floor). 

The journey had taken its toll on Rinoa, and she dropped instantly to sleep. Squall however was, as usual, thinking.

__

Maybe it really is nothing……… just a stupid report or something…………… but then why not mail it? Why send two SeeD members…………….. actually, Rinoa is not a SeeD at all. Why the Hell was she told to come……………. General Caraway is her Father………………… but why should that matter? Unless the package is linked to her somehow………………………………………………………………….

He drifted to sleep, his mind too exhausted to work anymore.

CHAPTER II

The sound of vehicles roaring past outside rudely awoke Squall. He sat up, feeling rejuvenated after a long sleep which felt as though it had done the world of good. He glanced over to the bed. Rinoa was still asleep. He decided he might as well get up and deliver the package now, and be ready to return to Garden by the time she awoke.

__

She won't really be all that keen to see her father anyway, might as well do this fast and get back to garden. Hotel sheets gross me out.

Squall got up and dressed, then strutted down the stairs. He always walked with a strut. He glanced around the lavish hotel lobby, and his eyes met a pretty girl at the reception desk

__

Hmm, didn't notice her last night… she is pretty…….. aah, better watch it, don't wanna come over all Laguna like…………

He laughed to himself as he recalled the story his father had told him about his time at this hotel, and wandered out onto the street.

__

Which way to Caraway's Mansion?……. Might as well get on a bus…… busses are quite disgusting , dirty and smelly…………. I'll walk.

Although it was still early (the clock read 8:15 when Squall glanced at it in the hotel room), there were plenty of people lining the streets. To save time, Squall walked by the side of the road, avoiding the crush of people no the sidewalks.

"Er, Excuse me, um………" A young girl blocked Squall's path. She had her legs crossed and had her eyes transfixed on the ground

"I was just kinda wonderin'…………. If you would like…………….."

__

I don't have time for this.

"I'm sorry, I'm spoken for" was Squall's response. Tactful words, unusual for him, but said in his usual harsh manner.

"Oh, er, A..alright then, I'm sorry…" with that she ran off, across the road, without looking out for cars. A scarlet bus roared down the road towards her, yet she didn't seem to notice.

"WATCH OUT!!" Squall cried after her, and she looked up at the bus and froze.

__

Shit.

Squall thundered into the road, dived right across the path of the bus and shoved the young girl out of its path.

The bus struck him with immense force.

__

Fuck. 

Cracks and horn blares rang through Squalls ears as he thudded to the ground, seemingly in slow motion. A large crowd had witnessed this event, and had gathered round his crumpled body. To his ears, the murmurs and yells of the crown blended into one blurred roar of sound.

__

A……am I dead? I guess not.

He opened an eye, but his vision was very blurred, as though he was looking through water. His body ached, but nothing seemed to be broken.

__

Then what the Hell was that banging sound?

Oh shit, no…………………….

The package.

With the help of some others, he rose to his feet. He tried to speak, to tell someone to look for the package, but he was winded. No sound emanated from his mouth.

He sat by the roadside, waiting for his vision to improve enough for him to continue to Caraways. The girl he saved was hysterically fussing over him, the gratitude she felt overwhelmed him.

His vision was a bit better now, and he realized that the bus did not stop after it struck him.

__

Bastard.

He also noticed that the package was nowhere to be seen. 

__

Don't tell me someone stole it……. Who would do such a wanky thing…….. I saved a life for fucks sake…………………

__

Hey………that kid has it………………. Where's he goin'?

Squall rose to his feet, and the youth holding the package saw Squalls enraged eyes, turned and fled. Squall was in hot pursuit, hindered by the injuries obtained from the collision. The youth ducked into the clock tower and climbed the ladders to the top. He hid behind some empty wooden crates.

It took Squall a while to scale the clock tower, his energy that he felt at 8:15 had been severely drained. He stood, in perfect silence, and listened for the slightest sound to alert him as to where the youth was hiding.

CrUnCh!… "aaah, shit!"

The youth had struck his foot against something…. And given his hiding place away. Squall lunged at him, and pinned him against the wall. He was fired with anger, and drew his gunblade and held it to the young boys throat.

"Listen kid, It's only 9a.m, and already this has turned into a really SHITTY day for me……….. give me the package or your day will be so much worse…………. And shorter…"

The youth's eyes bulged, it was evident that Squall was not messing around. He dropped the package to the ground, and again it made that cracking sound that made him wince. He threw the boy roughly towards the ladder

"Get out." His cool had returned.

The boy scrambled towards the ladder and shot down it.

__

Now, I'd better get goin, Rinoa will be up soon.

CHAPTER THREE 

By the time Squall had returned to the Hotel, Rinoa was already up, unaware of the morning's events. Squall shuffled side-ways through the door, trying to conceal the bruises he had on his left cheek. He had already cleaned himself up a little in the toilets, but could not conceal the black and blue mark on his cheek.

"Hey Squall, where've you been?" Rinoa asked as she packed up her stuff, ready to carry on travelling. She didn't look up as she asked

"I. Er………….. went…..to get……"

__

What should I say?

"You went to get what?"

"I went to get………….. some, er, some oranges for breakfast"

__

I'm so good.

"Great, I love oranges!! Where are they then?"

Shit.

"They………didn't have any…..left…..?"

He winced as he said the words, certain that she would realize he was lying.

"Oh….. that's O.K, I'll get something when we get to Dad's house."

__

Phew. What a fool she must be.

They left their stuff in the hotel rooms (it would be easier to claim it later than to lug it around), and went off towards Caraway's Mansion.

On the way, Squall noticed the young girl he saved, still sitting with her friends on a bench. One of them, a tall, brunette girl, met his gaze, then turned to her friends to tell them she had spotted him.

__

Please don't come over to us……….

As though they could hear his thoughts, they smiled and waved, but made no attempt to approach him.

They were not far away from the mansion when a group of tall, well-built men turned the corner and headed straight towards Squall and Rinoa. They had with them two women, both of whom had sour scowls on their pretty faces.

Suddenly, one pointed straight at Squall and cried

"That's the guy!! That's the guy who tried to steal my purse!!"

Squall looked back, startled, and began to protest his innocence. The burly men were not in the mood for listening.

"Wha-!"

WHAOMP!!

A flurry of fists flew towards Squall, two connecting with his ribcage, the others all missing.

Winded, Squall dropped to his knees.

__

What the f-!

S M A C K ! 

A boot in his face sent him sprawling to the floor

"STOP IT!!! PLEASE STOP!!!!" Rinoa was hysterically yelling and tugging a the guy's shirts

The guy she was annoying grew tired of being tugged at, and shoved her away with alarming force.

Squall saw this, and his heart filled with rage. His startled expression was replaced with a face of extreme fury. He leapt to his feet, and at running pace, drew his gunblade and sliced at the offending man.

The man cried out in horror. Everyone else had stopped and was silently watching.

The silent horror turned into stifled giggles as the man's clothes all fell to the ground shredded, leaving the man in his underwear. Squall tripped and dropped back to the floor. He was vulnerable to a slaughtering now

__

It's over now

"Not so fast u cock!" Rinoa shouted with menace in her voice, as she raised her Shooting Star weapon till the arrow was directed at the guy's head

" AAA!!! ShIt!!!" he bellowed, and scampered down the alley he came from. The rest of the gang began to hastily follow. The woman who had first spoken turned and said;

"Nobody screws us around, we'll be back for you Rebrov!"

__

Rebrov? _Who?_

Squall rose to his feet, again, and surveyed the damage to him. Not that bad I guess, just a bit winded.

He ran across to where Rinoa was standing, with a triumphant grin on her face

"Are you alright?" he asked

"Alright? I kicked some serious ass!!" she replied excitedly

__

Man, I'm so grateful. They would surely have killed me had she not been there

"Looks like I owe you one" Squall said with his usual cool tone 

"I'll hold you to that someday Squall" Rinoa playfully replied.

That 'someday' was going to be sooner than she thought.


	2. chapter 2

Chapter II  
  
  
The pair continued the short journey to General Caraways'.   
  
This isn't a long walk, yet it feels like it's been forever.... Why do so many people seem to want this?  
  
And with that thought he raised the package to meet his eye line and studied it hard. Nothing of merit met his eyes, just brown paper encasing a small box.  
  
Wonder what's in it?............... Maybe................. No, it's too heavy for a simple message.... Perhaps it's some kinda weapon..... bit small, but you never know.............. Wha-  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a tugging at his left sleeve. He winced and yanked his arm away in a hostile motion, as he had a nasty pain there which the gang had inflicted.  
  
"Hey, what's your problem?"  
  
Squall turned and saw that the shrill voice had emanated from a somewhat camp looking (and sounding) man, clad in leather trousers and a frilly shirt.  
  
"All I wanted was to ask you the time!"  
  
Looking at him, he really looks like he stepped right out of Saturday Night Fever..... Strange guy.  
  
Suddenly realising that he had been staring at this man for quite some time without saying anything, he stuttered   
"Er.... Sorry.... It's er, half twelve"  
  
"Thank you, handsome" The man replied with a mischievous grin that sent alarm bells ringing in Squalls' head.  
  
Is........ this man................ A . . . . . M A N...... coming onto me?   
  
"I saw you staring at me pretty boy, so how about it?"  
  
"er..............."  
  
Run.  
  
"I........er............"  
  
Run.  
  
"I....................am not .........  
  
Run.   
  
"That.................... way inclined........... sorry"  
  
Run!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Squall turned from the man and hastily strode away. He practically sprinted to the corner of the road, turned and hid behind a park bench.  
  
Please say he's going the other way..........  
  
Fortune favoured Squall this time, and he watched as the chubby man sidled off down another path.  
  
Squall rose to his feet, wincing again at the pain of his injuries that had yet to subside. He thought it best not to inspect his injuries yet, but to wait till they were safe.  
  
Being chatted up by a gay man...... Rinoa is never gonna let me hear the end of this.  
  
But Rinoa never saw it.  
  
Where is she?  
  
Squalls concern was increasing by the second.   
  
What if that gang are seeking vengeance? Who knows what they have done to her... I gotta find her!!!  
  
Squall thought of the most likely place that Rinoa might have run if she was in trouble: her Fathers' house.  
  
Squall tried his best at a sprint, but his legs had had enough torment for one day, so he hobbled as best he could. The streets were a hive of activity, market stalls and countless shoppers made spotting Rinoa impossible.  
After a short while, Caraways' imposing mansion loomed in front of him. Squall usually stopped to appreciate just how extravagant it was, but not today. No time.  
  
He pounded at the doors, and to his surprise they fell open. Now his fear for Rinoas safety was serious. He frantically searched the downstairs rooms, poking his head into every room and calling out to her.  
He got no reply.  
  
He yelled  
  
"GENERAL!!!! ARE YOU HERE!!!!??"  
  
No reply.  
  
He darted upstairs and banged on every door he came to. Suddenly, his banging came to a halt as an ornate porcelain vase was sent crashing onto his head.  
  
.................................................................................................................................  
  
  
  
  
W.......................w..............................what?  
  
Squalls eyes opened gingerly, and he tried to regain focus.  
  
How many times in one bleedin' day is this gonna happen?  
  
His eyes found a blurred outline of blue.  
  
That can only be...................Rinoa or papa smurf .  
  
As he regained control of his vision, he realised to his horror what stood before him. Rinoa was chained to what looked like wooden support beams, and a man, dressed predominantly in black, held a gunblade to her throat.  
  
The smell of fresh air implied that they were outside, but Squall could not quite place where.  
  
"Wh... where are we?"  
  
I sound so feeble.  
  
"Oh, so you're alive after all...... that's good, good"  
  
The voice was eerily calm, and not deep, but you could tell it was male. He sounded like he had every intention of murdering without remorse.  
  
"SQUALL!!!!" Rinoa cried out to him. Still it sounded hazy, drowned out by the ringing in his ears.  
  
"Here, this should be useful to you" the voice sounded soothing, and he produced a small vial and poured it onto Squalls' crumpled body.  
  
  
  
There's no mistaking that rejuvenating feeling.  
  
Elixir.  
  
Squall writhed as he felt all his pain being sucked out of his body, as though it had somewhere better to be.  
He leapt to his feet, full of energy again. He pointed an accusing finger at the man, still hidden in the shadows.  
  
"What the Hell are you doing?!? You'd better let her go, I mean NOW, or you may regret using your last elixir on someone else!"  
  
The man looked, unfazed  
  
"Come now, is that any way to speak to a man who just............. Fixed you? Where are your manners?"  
  
Just who the Hell are you?  
  
As though the man had read his thoughts, he stepped into the light.  
  
Looks so familiar... but who?  
  
Squall was speechless  
  
"Y...You?"  
  
The man laughed, a sinister laugh. He did not sound like anyone he knew.  
  
Then it clicked.  
  
The boy.  
  
"You are the father of the young boy that tried to rob me earlier. You Bast-"  
  
"In a manner of speaking.... Isn't life so ironic?"  
  
The man grimaced. The way the light caught his face, he looked satanic.  
  
"Why do this? And where the fuck are we?" Squall felt as though he couldn't contain his rage and energy for much longer.  
  
"My dear boy, we are on the roof of Caraways' Mansion" He paced over to the edge of the roof  
  
"What a beautiful view, don't you think?"  
  
Squall thought perhaps he should run over and push him over the edge, but the man turned too quickly.  
  
"You still cannot see why I am doing this? It's very simple if you think about it."  
  
Does he want the package? Where is that bloody package now? Rinoa had it....  
  
Squall spotted it resting on the ledge surrounding the skylight.  
  
"Why do you want our package so badly?"  
  
"You FOOL!!"  
  
The man's response stunned Squall. It was only now that he noticed that the mans eyes were tainted with red. In fact, they seemed to glow a little.  
  
"Can't you understand?!? That boy was not my son, he WAS me!!!"  
  
huh?  
  
"In this time, I am a meek and feeble boy, but I am destined to become the man you see before you now"  
  
The man seemed to resume his cool, and calmly lay back against a wall  
  
"I have the ability to fold time itself" He said matter-of-factly. 


End file.
